A Slight Change of Scenery
by Aleisha Potter
Summary: Chloe was done. It was time to move on... the only question was whether her friends would let her... Chlollie, Chruce
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville, DC Comics or anything you might recognize from books, tv, comics, ect... and I am certainly not making any money off of this... just fun!!

**A Change of Scenery**

**Prologue**

Chloe sat at her desk in the Watchtower. She was desperately trying to figure out where things had gone wrong. One minute she and Oliver were having an amazing time, the next she was delegated to the ranks of money hungry gold diggers. Oh, he said he understood and that she was forgiven, but she knew better. She could see it in his eyes. The light that used to be there when he looked at her was conspicuously gone now when his eyes met hers. He was reserved around her now, almost detached. He was not the Oliver she had come to know and the truth was... it was all her fault.

Chloe knew what she had to do and had began to make preparations weeks ago. She was currently completing her final task, the one she was sure would catch Oliver's eye so she had purposely left it for last.

Chloe strummed her fingers on the desk, waiting impatiently for her account to drain so she could shut down Watchtower and be on her way. With any luck, she would be long gone before Oliver could make his way from Queen Towers.

She knew she was taking the cowards way out, but she honestly didn't have the strength left to face him. It was better this way, easier, too.

Chloe's phone started buzzing. She glanced at the caller I.D. It read _Oliver Queen_. Shaking her head, she hit the ignore button. She glanced back at her screen and saw that the process was complete. She typed in the word that would start the shutdown and turned off her monitor.

Her phone _dinged_ to signal a new text message. She cautiously opened it and read it while carefully packing up her precious laptop.

_I'm on my way. Don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you better plant your butt in your seat and it had better be there when I get there. -O_

Chloe briefly wondered how many traffic accidents he had narrowly avoided trying to type that while driving. She would unfortunately never find out because she had no intention of being at Watchtower when he got there.

She had nothing left to say to him and she sure as hell had nothing left to offer him. She was no man's _booty call_ and if that was all that was left of their friendship, then so be it. She was used to being the one to sacrifice everything to keep her heroes on their pedestals, what difference did one more time make?

Oliver had a job to do and _this_ would only cause a serious distraction, one he couldn't afford, so once again she would make the sacrifice, cross the line to keep her boys from having to do it, having to make the tough decisions. This was what she was best at.

Chloe took one last look around her tower, her precious gift from Jimmy. This was supposed to be haven, and it had been, for a short time but now it was once again filled with painful memories. It was time to leave, there was nothing left for her here. Maybe she would return some day. She could hope.

**A/N: just a short teaser to lead into my next fic. Thank you Katy for the idea. The whole basic plot idea came from her, I just played with it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I am so glad you like it so far! I am going to warn you now that I am not a Batman whiz. I am taking most of the Bats history from the Batman Begins/Dark Knight world and bear with me if I make mistakes. Also, I want to let everyone know that I am still typing on my palm treo so I am keeping the chapters short because if they are too long it has trouble uploading and dealing with it. As soon as I get home to my comp. and laptop the chapters will get longer. Thanks. :)  
**

**A New Beginning**

Chloe stood before the large building. She couldn't remember a time when she had been this nervous. It was just an interview for cripes sake! Granted, it was an interview with the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, so not your run-of-the-mill, manager of the day type interview.

What she had heard about Lucius Fox must be true if he was personally interviewing applicants for a mere Technical Adviser position.

Sighing and gathering her strength, Chloe walked into the large lobby that occupied the ground floor of Wayne Tower. She confidently made her way over to the large receptionist's desk.

"Hello, my name is Chloe Sullivan. I have a three o'clock appointment with Mr. Fox," she told the blond woman sitting behind the desk.

The secretary scanned the computer screen in front of her before turning to face Chloe.

"Fourth floor. Room four eleven. When you exit the elevator, go right, it's the third door on the left," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Chloe responded before turning on her heel and marching confidently towards the elevators at the end of the lobby. She took the short ride to take a few deep breaths and compose herself.

She knew she was more than qualified for the job but her resumé was... well, a _little _lacking. She had, after all, been fired twice and had spent the last year in a job that didn't really exist. You couldn't really put "Watchtower for a band of ragtag superheroes" down on a job application. Her resumé simply stated that she had worked as a technical consultant for Queen Industries for the last year. She prayed that her fabricated trail would hold up to Wayne Enterprises' scrutiny. It should hold, depending on how deep they intended to dig.

The elevated _ding_-ed as it reached her desired floor. She stepped out and onto the polished marble floor. Turning to the right, she started down the long hall, counting doors, she stopped at the third door. It was opened and she could see two men seated at a large conference table in deep discussion. She knocked twice on the open wood door. The older of the two men turned and smiled at her.

"You must be Chloe Sullivan. Lucius Fox, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, standing and holding out a hand to her.

"The pleasure's all mine, Mr. Fox."

The second man stood up and gave her a calculating smile.

"Miss Sullivan, it's nice to put a face to the name I have read so much about," he spoke while his eyes bored into hers.

Chloe felt her heart skip at his words. Panic set in as she wondered exactly how much reading he had done... if he had _really _looked into her records and her past, he would have found all kinds of skeletons. She gulped and shifted on her feet.

"Please, have a seat Miss Sullivan. We have much to discuss," Mr. Fox said, pulling a chair out for her. "Bruce, why don't you start?"

"Wait... Bruce? As in _Bruce Wayne?_" Chloe asked.

"The one and only," the younger man quipped, smirking at her apparent unease.

Chloe gulped. She was in deep shit.

*-*-*-*-*

_Two weeks earlier..._

Oliver sat at his desk staring blankly at his screen. There was just too much going on right now, too many things running around in his head, for him to concentrate on his work. He really needed to talk to Chloe. Things were bad right now between the two of them and he honestly didn't know how to fix it. It's not like he could _force _her to trust him or to open up to him. He thought he had _earned_ her trust but apparently not.

Suddenly his computer started beeping. He had set up monitoring alarms on all of his and Chloe's accounts to alert him to any major change and hers was going crazy. He quickly brought up her account information and froze when he saw that her entire account had been drained. He tried to access the Watchtower computer but found his access had been denied. A lead weight settled in his stomach at the implications of what he was discovering.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number as he sprinted out of his office. Her voice-mail picked up after a handful of rings.

"Damn it, Chloe, I know you're there, pick up the phone!" he growled into the handset.

He made it to his car in record time and punched out a text message before peeling out of the parking garage.

_She wouldn't dare... Would she? _He wondered to himself. He knew that the things he had said when he found out about the money had been harsh, but he had apologized for them. Surely she wouldn't leave over that.

Oliver made it to the Watchtower in record time but his worst fears were realized when he found the top deserted. The whole system was shut down and there was no sign of Chloe.

He rammed his hands through his hair, mussing up the perfectly styled strands. He turned a complete circle, praying he would find some sign, anything that would prove she hadn't left the team... left _him. _

Finding nothing, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number.

_"I'm sorry, but you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Thank you."_

Oliver felt his eyes sting as he listened to the automated voice drone on.

_How could she do this? Could they not sit down and talk about this? I mean, sure, they had issues, what couple didn't.._. Then it hit him_, _they weren't really a couple, at least they had never labeled themselves as such. Of course she would feel well within her right to up and leave, when had he made her any promises? When had he given her reason to think he was in this for the long haul?

_But she is still part of the team! _his mind yelled. _Even if what you two had was purely sex she still owed it to you as the leader of the League to tell you what was going on._

Oliver growled in frustration before picking up his phone again and dialing the last numbered he wanted to dial at the moment.

"Clark, I need you to get to the Watchtower _now._"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Best Lies are Just Truths Stretched**

_Present Day…_

Chloe took two deep breaths before turning her award winning smile on Gotham's billionaire prince.

"Fire away, Mr. Wayne," she said, forcing confidence into her words. She had a feeling she could kiss this job goodbye.

"Well, let me start by saying your credentials speak for themselves…" he started, fueling her feeling of dread with his words. "Rather exemplary if I do say so. I guess we should start with what brings you to our fine city. From what I hear, Metropolis is a real gem and by far more desirable than Gotham."

Chloe thought for a moment before deciding that as much of the truth as she could give would be best.

"I recently lost my husband… I really needed to get away, away from the memories, from… well, I just needed to get away," she told the two men, cursing at herself for letting her voice slip and the tremble come through. She noticed a flicker of pain shoot across Mr. Wayne's eyes. "I know Gotham has a reputation for being a… _rough_ city, but from what I've heard lately, things are starting to turn around, and Wayne Enterprises is on the leading edge of technology, so where better for a computer buff like myself to make a new start."

Bruce nodded.

"While we are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition is most aspects, Queen Industries by far has us beat with their Artemis satellite system," he spoke, eyes searching hers the entire time, as if he was looking for an answer to a question he hadn't voiced. "Are you familiar at all with the system?"

Chloe swallowed before answering.

"I know a bit about it. I've worked with it a few times, but I'm nowhere near an expert."

"The personnel worker I spoke with this morning at Queen Industries couldn't place you but looked up your record and found nothing but praises for your stellar attendance record and work ethic. I have to say, that is definitely something we strive for here at Wayne Enterprises."

Her heart sped up. If he had called Q.I., then there was a very good chance Oliver knew exactly where she was and how to find her. She had never expected to hide from him forever, but she had hoped to have a little bit more time to prepare herself to deal with him.

"So, tell me, Miss Sullivan, what did _you_ do to get on the bad side of Lex and Lionel Luthor?"

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. He really had done his homework.

"What makes you think I did anything or had an issue with Lex or Lionel Luthor?"

"Considering the elder had you fired, threatened, and nearly blown up, I would think you most definitely had an issue with Luthor. Your history with the younger is not much nicer."

She could feel this interview quickly slipping out of her control. Not knowing what else to say, she once again stuck to the truth.

"I wouldn't roll over and take his lies. I wanted to go public with… certain knowledge I had and he knew that I was a threat, so he needed to… dispose of me. In the case of Lex, I refused to betray a friend, so I was fired once again."

"You certainly have a rather colorful history, Miss Sullivan. Some of it definitely intrigued me, like the reason you could have for keeping the apartment your husband was brutally murdered in but allowing Oliver Queen to foot all the bills for it."

Chloe couldn't help herself. She gasped at his questions before glaring across the table at the pristine man.

"How is any of that your business? I am here for a job interview, I have a hard time believing that my employer would need to know anything about my former living arrangements," she seethed, getting to her feet. "I believe this interview is over," she exclaimed, turning to leave.

"The job's yours, Miss Sullivan. You can start Monday," Wayne spoke up, a small grin on his face. "Please, forgive me for overstepping any boundaries; I really was rather curious how someone so… inconspicuous could rile up a Luthor to the point of nearly throwing everything away just to see you dead. I didn't mean to offend you with the question about your apartment. It was uncalled for. It is none of my business. I hope you will still accept the job," he said, a calculating look still in his eyes.

Chloe would have walked out without a word if she didn't need the income so badly. She needed to stay in Gotham, it was the only city that would work for what she had in mind and Wayne Enterprises was the only company that could pay her anything near what Oliver had been paying her, so for those reasons alone she turned back to face the two gentlemen.

"I will be here Monday morning, Mr. Wayne, but please, remember your place when it comes to talking to an employee and keep your curiosity to yourself," she told him, meeting his gaze straight on.

Bruce raised his eyebrows as she stormed out of the conference room.

"Did she just tell me to 'remember my place'?" he asked Lucius.

"Yes, sir, I believe she did."

Bruce burst out laughing.

"She has some spirit… I think we will need to keep an eye on her. I could wallpaper my mansion with the police reports her name came up on. Very intriguing, indeed," he told his old friend.

"I'll keep _two_ eyes on her, then," the older man said with a grin.

"You do that, Lucius. I'll see you around. Call me Monday and let me know how she does."

"Will do, sir."

~*~*~*~*~

_One week earlier…_

Oliver threw his phone across his office, nearly hitting Clark in the head.

"Easy!" the younger man exclaimed, ducking just in time.

"Sorry, Clark."

"No luck, I'm guessing?"

"No, nothing. She's Chloe, Clark, if she wanted to disappear, she could and we would never find her."

"I doubt she will disappear forever. She probably just needs some time. She's had a lot to deal with lately and… she and I haven't exactly been getting along with this whole Kandorian issue…"

"That's putting it lightly, Boyscout. Do you even _know_ what she has been going through? Have you taken the time to find out?" Oliver bit out, turning a glare the other man.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Did you know you had pushed her to the point where she felt she had to _steal_ money from me? Did you know she had built up an entire _armada_ of weapons to use against the Kandorians if it came down to it? No, I'm sure you didn't because you haven't really _seen _Chloe since Jimmy died. If you had, you would have seen how unhappy she was… how she was slipping," Oliver finished in a whisper, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

Clark looked at Oliver in shock. He really had been blind. How could all of that have been going on right under his nose? How could he miss that?

"I… I didn't know, but you weren't exactly there for her after Jimmy died either."

"You don't think I know that? I flat out left her, someone who was supposed to be my friend, and how does she repay me? By dragging my ass out of the gutter, saving me… some friend I am," he muttered, turning his back on the other man.

"We'll talk about these weapons and the money later, right now I am going to run around Metropolis, see if I can catch a glimpse of her," Clark said, leaving Oliver alone in his office. He needed time to think and he was pretty sure the other man did as well.

Oliver heaved a sigh as Clark closed the door behind him before dropping down to the floor. He knew he was trying to lay the blame on the dark-haired man who claimed to be Chloe's best friend and that wasn't right. He knew where the blame lay… it was on him. It was _his _fault she had left, he knew it. His callous comments and unfeeling insinuations had driven her to the point where she couldn't take it any more. He was getting good at pushing the women he loved out of his life.

His breath hitched at that last thought. _Love?_ _Where had that come from? _He thought about it for a minute and as much as it scared him, he knew it was true. Somewhere along the line he had fallen, and fallen hard, for the blond, spirited woman who had stood beside him when no one else believed in him.

He jumped up and strode over to his computer. Come hell or high water, he was going to find his Watchtower, he just needed time.

~*~*~*~*~*~

_Present day…_

Chloe was fuming, absolutely fuming. Who the hell did he think he was? Oh, that's right, he was Gotham's crown prince, he could do no wrong… well, he had another thing coming if he thought she was just going to lick his heels fall all over her self to please him. He was just another rich, self-absorbed arrogant playboy. She had seen enough men like him in her life, she knew his type.

She thought about his last question and froze. What had Oliver been thinking? Why in the world would he have put all of Watchtower's utilities and such under his own name? Idiot… and she had to wonder how the JSA had found them so easily.

By the time she made it to the lobby, she was beyond furious. She needed a coffee desperately. Luckily there was a nice little coffee shop just down from her hotel. She could grab a brew and a paper before settling down to peruse the listings for rentals in the area. Caffeine always helped her nerves, or at least that was what she told herself. Yes, that sounded like a plan.

~*~*~*~*~*~

_Earlier that morning…_

Oliver's eyes were bloodshot. He hadn't slept very well in the last two weeks. He was starting to give up on finding Chloe when he received an e-mail from the personnel department.

_Mr. Queen,_

_We received a call from Wayne Enterprises this morning to ask about a previous employee they were considering hiring. When we looked up her record, we noticed some discrepancies. We thought you might want to take a look at it._

Sure enough, there smiling up at him from a file he himself had compiled was the woman he had been searching for.

Wayne Enterprises, huh? What in the world could she possibly be doing in Gotham City? He was tempted, very tempted, to rush out to his jet and be there before dinner, but he knew that was not the best option. If he rushed her, he would surely lose her. If he had any hope of bringing her home, it had to be on her terms.

Picking up his cell, he dialed Clark's number.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! To make up for the short chapters, I am trying to post more often. I know where I am going with this about half way and I know where I want it to end, but the middle is a mystery and I usually don't write like that, but this just takes off and I have to write! Lol. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Hope you enjoy!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Truth is In The Eye of The Beholder**

Chloe took a sip of her coffee, allowing the caffeine to sooth her frayed nerves. There was something about Bruce Wayne that left an unsavory taste in her mouth. Something just didn't sit right about the man.

A shadow fell across her paper. She glanced up with a curious smile only to have it fade to a frown as she recognized the man who stood by her table. The entire coffee shop went silent as they recognized Gotham's resident billionaire.

"Miss Sullivan, there was one more issue that I wished to discuss with you before your untimely departure," he said, giving her a grand smile.

Chloe glanced around suspiciously, noticing how everyone was staring at them.

"Care to walk with me?" he asked, offering her a hand.

"This couldn't wait until Monday, Mr. Wayne?" she asked, standing up but ignoring his proffered hand.

"Not really. It's concerning your living arrangements."

"I thought we had an agreement about that… it was none of your business," she nearly growled at him.

"I was referring to your _current_ arrangements, not your past ones. Wayne Enterprises would be pleased to offer you a place to stay until you can get on your feet and find a place of your own," he spoke quietly as he lead the way out of the quaint shop.

"That's very kind, but I really couldn't…"

"Nonsense, Gotham is a dangerous city; even you have to see that. Until you are more familiar with the area, the good places and the bad places to live, I would feel much better if you were in the most secure place Gotham has to offer."

"And do you offer this to all of your employees?"

"We offer security measures, yes, but, no, we don't offer this exactly. You see, though, your position will be one of a… sensitive nature. I'd prefer the information you'll be privy to not fall into… unsavory hands," he explained in a vague manner.

Chloe stopped in her tracks.

"Exactly what will this position entail?" she asked, a tingle of intrigue running through her head.

Bruce just smiled.

"You will have to wait until Monday to find out. Now, shall we?" he asked, indicating the large black Towncar they had come to.

"I suppose it can't hurt to see this place," she agreed, getting in to the car, closely followed by Bruce.

"Wayne Tower, please, Alfred."

"Right away, Master Wayne. Ah, Miss Sullivan, pleasure to meet you, Ma'am," the elderly driver greeted her.

"Alfred Pennyworth. He has been with my family since well before I was born. The only family I have left," Bruce told her by way of introduction.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," Chloe said, feeling instantly comfortable around the older man.

The car gently pulled away from the curb and into the flow of traffic. The passengers inside were silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Chloe was starting to wonder if perhaps this had not been her wisest idea, moving to Gotham. She had a plan, one she couldn't pull off in Metropolis, but still… _this_ had possibly not been the best place.

She wondered exactly where he planned on stashing her and why they needed to travel to Wayne Tower first. She opened her mouth to ask those questions when a newsstand caught her eyes. She gasped.

"Stop the car!" she demanded. Alfred slammed on the brakes.

"What in the world?" asked a confused Bruce as she jumped out of the car and sprinted across the street. "Pull over," he told the older man, exiting the car as he spoke.

Chloe ran over to the stand and grabbed the newest edition of the _Inquisitor_. She walked off, not even thinking to pay for it.

"Hey!" the stand worker called out, but was quieted by the twenty that Bruce threw down to cover the paper.

She stared at the front page in horror. There, in color for the entire world to see, was a grainy picture of her and Oliver outside the Talon, entangled in a tight embrace, lips locked together. The headline caused stomach to churn.

_Oliver Queen's Mystery Woman: Pregnant?_ Followed by the byline, _Billionaire's Girlfriend Embezzles Money Then Skips Town._

She opened the paper to find the story on page three. There was another picture of her, this one taken the day she left Metropolis. There were tearstains on her face and… she had to admit, her stomach, which was circled in red, did look a little… _plump._

Bruce finally caught up to her and grabbed her arm, steering her back towards the car.

"I suggest you read that somewhere private, people are starting to stare," he told her as he opened the door.

She allowed herself to be pushed into the car and barely noticed when it started moving again.

Bruce cleared his throat, eyeing the front page of the paper with disdain. He knew the _Inquisitor's _stories were about as plausible as alien invasions but he couldn't help but notice the distraught and horror filled expression Chloe had on her face.

"You know, most people know that the _Inquisitor's_ not worth the paper it's printed on," he told her quietly.

Her eyes shot up to meet his, anger brimming in the green pools. She could see the curiosity in his eyes and was grateful that he hadn't asked the questions that obviously plagued him.

"Someone like Oliver Queen has probably had multiple headlines saying the same thing over the year, it will blow over," he assured her, searching her eyes for any hint of truth. He was surprised to find pain and… _fear_ in them.

"Unless… the headlines were true this time…" he mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

"That's none of your business, Mr. Wayne," she seethed, her anger growing.

"We're hear, Master Bruce," Alfred announced, stopping the forthcoming argument.

Bruce quickly exited the car and held out a hand to help her out. She let him help her out but immediately released his hand.

"The penthouse is at the top of the Tower and it's yours to use for as long as you might need it. It is the most secure place in Gotham and a good place to hide away from reporters should you need it."

"Yeah, that's just what I need, another headline. Something along the lines of _'Money-Seeking Bint Trades One Billionaire for Another',_" she mumbled under her breath.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at her words.

"I assure you, Miss Sullivan, _that_ is not part of your work arrangement," he told her with a chuckle. She just glared at him.

He led her to the top of the building and opened the door to the lavish penthouse he had just recently vacated. She glanced around appreciatively.

"It's very nice, but I really…"

"Please, don't argue, just say yes."

She sighed, too emotionally worn out to even think about arguing with him today.

"Fine, you win. I'll stay here, whatever," she told him, dropping down in a chair and covering her face with her hands. He looked at her with a worried expression.

"I can have Alfred drive you to your hotel so you can check out and bring your stuff over," he offered, his earlier teasing voice gone.

Chloe glanced up at him, for once grateful for his offer.

"That would be nice, thank you, Mr. Wayne."

"It's not a problem. I will see you Monday, perhaps," he told her before heading for the door. He was sorely tempted to question her about the article, but decided it would be best to just leave it be. Her secrets were her own, so long as she could do her job it really didn't matter what skeletons were in her closet.

Chloe sighed once more as Bruce left the penthouse before bursting into tears. She had hoped to keep her fling with Oliver a secret, but now everyone would know. She would have to answer to Lois and Clark. Granted, they would have to track her down first, but she had no doubt they would, and when they did they would have a word or two for her.

Her eyes strayed to the close up of her stomach. There was one issue she really needed to deal with. Even she couldn't be cruel enough to leave Oliver wondering about something like that.

~*~*~*~*~

Oliver rushed around his penthouse, packing his bags quickly and trying to think of everything he could possibly need. He had received an invitation to Gotham's Children's Hospital fundraising Bizarre a month ago but had thought nothing of it, now he knew it would be the perfect excuse to go to Gotham and hopefully drag Chloe back with him.

His monitor beeped, alerting him to a visitor. Cursing under his breath, he walked quickly over to his desk, freezing when he recognized Lois's irate form waiting on the other side.

He quickly pushed the button to allow her up. Oliver shoved the last of his clothes into his suitcase by the time the elevator door rose to admit her.

"Lois, I was just getting ready to…" he started, but was quickly cut off.

"You son of a bitch, what did you do to her?" the very upset brunette demanded.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his movements slowing in confusion.

"Chloe. She up and left, with no word and no explanation. Now, that in and of itself is not that uncommon, but then I saw _this,_" she hissed, shoving a paper under his nose.

Oliver gulped, his mind reeling for an explanation. He glanced down at the paper and felt his stomach drop out. There on the front page, in a very compromising position, was a picture of him and Chloe. Even worse was the headline that blared across the top.

_Oliver Queen's Mystery Woman: Pregnant?_ Followed by the byline, _Billionaire's Girlfriend Embezzles Money Then Skips Town._

He ripped open the paper and read the article, his jaw clenching the further he went. His heart rate sped up with every word. He glanced at the pictures, all of Chloe going about her day to day business. One picture showed a close up of her stomach, a slight bulge circled in red.

_No… it couldn't be. She wouldn't have just left, would she?_

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Lois demanded.

Oliver swallowed twice before he tried to answer.

"I… I… I need to find Chloe," he croaked.

"Yeah, I would say you do! Jesus, Oliver! Even for you, this is a royal screw up!"

"Lois, not now. There's a lot going on, okay, I'll… I'll explain it later," he muttered, walking past her to grab his suitcase.

"No, way, buddy, I'm not letting you walk out of here until you tell me whether this is true or not," she said, stopping him in his tracks. He turned pain filled eyes on her.

"I don't know, Lois."

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Hehe, sorry for a cliffie, but it was where it needed to end. Don't worry, lots more to come! Let me know what you think! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!! I read them over and over again when I'm feeling down and they really lift me up!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Your First Assignment, Be My Date**

"What do you mean, you don't know? How do you not know something like _that!_" Lois demanded furiously.

"I mean just that, I don't know!" Oliver spit out.

"Well, either you slept with her, and it's a possibility, or you didn't. Which is it?"

Oliver just stared at her, his jaw clenched and his chest heaving with every harsh breath.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"Well… fine, Lois. Yes. Yes I slept with her so _this_ is a possibility, but it _is_ unlikely. We… we were _very_ careful. And I know Chloe. She wouldn't up and run if _this_ were true," he told her, running an errant hand through his hair.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that. Think about this, Ollie. Why wouldn't she run away from this? I mean, pregnant with the Billionaire Bachelor's heir, or the green leather clad night-time vigilante's spawn, either way, it's not exactly a dream come true. I can see why she would need to get away, if not to protect her heart, then to protect her unborn child!"

Oliver swallowed hard. He had to get to Gotham, _now._ He started to pick up his suitcase when his phone started vibrating. Glancing down, he didn't recognize the number so he threw his phone into his briefcase and closed it up. He really didn't have the time or patience to deal with business affairs right now. Whatever it was, it could wait.

"Lois, I have to go. My jet is ready to go, I'm going to find Chloe and get to the bottom of this."

"So help me, if you hurt her, Queen, the thugs of Suicide Slum will be the _least_ of your worries," she growled, allowing him to breeze past her and into the elevator.

Chloe listened to the phone ring a handful of times before Oliver's voicemail picked up. She couldn't decide what to say so when the beep sounded, she just hung up. She could always try again.

"Miss Chloe, would you like to go over to the Plaza and pick up the rest of your belongings?" the elderly butler asked, a polite smile gracing his features.

"Sure. Thanks again, Mr. Pennyworth," she replied, grabbing her purse and pasting a smile on her face.

"Please, call me Alfred, I feel old enough as it is," he told her with a chuckle.

Chloe just smiled and made her way out the door and over to the elevator. Her mind was spinning and she couldn't keep it off the article that had appeared. What was Oliver thinking? Was he furious? Did he believe the article or did he have faith in her? She just didn't know what he was thinking. She couldn't help but wonder if Lois or Clark had read the paper yet. What would they think? Would they believe that she and Oliver had been immersed in some secret liaison that lead to this shocking scandal? Or would they simply believe the press was story hungry and had grabbed onto whatever they could? She just didn't know, and Chloe Sullivan didn't like not knowing.

Alfred was quiet during the short drive to the Plaza Hotel she was staying at. Once they had made it to the curbside, he opened the door for her and told her he would wait while she checked out.

Chloe quickly went up to her room and haphazardly threw her clothes and meager belongings into her suitcase, zipping it closed before she dragged it out of her room and over to the elevator. She made the short ride down to the lobby impatiently, her foot tapping against the marble floor.

She made her way into the large lobby and walked up to the desk. She noticed a few guests meandering around the open room, glancing curiously at her. They must have seen the article and were probably speculating whether or not she was the "mystery woman" that had appeared in the article. She sighed and turned to face the receptionist.

"I'd like to check out of room 318, please," she told the tall blond behind the desk.

"Of course, Miss Sullivan."

Chloe watched the blond walk over to the computer that sat against the wall and start typing. She found it odd that it would take as long as it did to simply bring up her account, but then again, not everyone was as quick on the computer as she was.

Once the receptionist finished accessing her account, she brought a printout over to her to be signed. Chloe quickly scrawled her name on the line provided and turned in her key.

"Thank you for choosing the Gotham Plaza for your stay, Miss Sullivan," the cheery blond told her.

Chloe graced her with a tight smile, feeling slightly uneasy for some reason. She grabbed her suitcase and started to make her way out of the revolving doors that opened up onto the street where Alfred was parked, waiting for her. Before she could make it a step out of the hotel, a barrage of flashes startled her.

"Miss Sullivan, what exactly is your relationship with Oliver Queen?"

"Miss Sullivan, what are you doing in Gotham City?"

"Miss Sullivan, what do you have to say about the rumors circulating around concerning your condition?"

"Miss Sullivan, is it true you are currently living with Bruce Wayne?"

That last question caught Chloe's attention.

"What!" she spluttered.

"Miss Chloe, it's best you get in the car and not respond to their questions," Alfred told her, helping her push through the throng of reporters. He opened the door for her and took her suitcase. Once the door was closed and the shouted questions silenced, Chloe's eyes started to tear up. She had wanted to come here to get away from it all, to plan, to work in peace, now that was nothing more than a pipe dream. She had no idea what to do now. How was she supposed to get them off of her back? Even though she had been on one side of the paper, she had no idea how to handle this side of it all.

Alfred got into the car and quickly pulled away from the curb. He pulled out a cell phone and spoke quietly into it. When he hung up he glanced into the rearview mirror at her.

"I am taking you to Wayne Manor. Master Bruce fears the reporters will be swarming the Penthouse. He has a lot of practice in dealing with the press, perhaps he can help you find a way out of this," the old man suggested, an understanding look in his eyes.

"You really don't have to do this," she told him quietly. She didn't even know Bruce Wayne and really didn't feel comfortable telling him exactly what her issue was and why she had come to Wayne Enterprises. Though she knew if she was going to acquire what she needed and his help, she would have to tell him _something_ she was just hoping for more time.

"Nonsense, Miss Chloe, Master Bruce feels slightly at fault for causing you more distress by offering you the Penthouse as a residence. He has only recently vacated the place and he didn't mean for anyone to think you were living _with_ him in the Tower apartment," Alfred said by way of explanation.

"It's not his fault that I screwed up and made some bad decisions back home," she muttered just loud enough for Alfred to hear.

"Everybody makes some bad decisions in their lives, Miss Chloe; it's how we handle the fallout that defines us. We are all human after all," he told her kindly.

She couldn't help but smile at that. She was starting to really like Bruce Wayne's butler.

Bruce Wayne was sitting in the Bat cave, staring at the monitors around him, each with a different picture on it. Each picture had an article with it, and each article had one thing in common: Chloe Sullivan. He knew there was much more to the petite blond then the world saw and he was determined to find out exactly what it was, and whether she presented a threat to his city or not. When it came to computers, he knew she was a force to be reckoned with, but to what end did she use these miraculous skills of hers? What was her purpose? Bruce was determined to figure out the puzzle that was Chloe Sullivan.

A chime brought him out of his musings and alerted him to his arriving guest. What better time to start unraveling then now?

He quickly jogged up the stairs and into the mansion proper before slowing to a sedate walk. He made it to the parlor before the door opened to admit Alfred and a very ragged looking Chloe.

"Miss Sullivan, I am very sorry that your first few days in Gotham have been so horrible, I hope you won't judge the entire city on the actions of a few glory hounds?" he told her, offering his hand.

"I know reporters, Mr. Wayne, don't worry, I don't blame anyone but the idiots behind the cameras," she assured him, ignoring the preferred hand.

"Please, make yourself at home. I doubt the paparazzi will wait at the Penthouse long before assuming you've found another residence for the night. Alfred can take you back later tonight if you'd like, though you are welcome to stay in one of my many guest rooms."

"Thank you, but I think it's best if I go back to the Penthouse once things have died down," she told him, cringing at the headlines she would see if she spent the night at his mansion.

Bruce chuckled at the look on her face.

"That's probably the safest choice for your reputation," he told her. "You know, Miss Sullivan, this problem won't go away on its own."

"So, what do you suggest I do?"

"Make a statement. Go directly to a reliable source, perhaps the Gotham Gazette, and tell them what _you_ want them to know. Always act like you have nothing to hide," he advised, leading her into the large sitting room where a cozy fire was blazing in the fireplace.

Chloe thought about his suggestion, it made sense, the only problem was, she didn't know what she wanted to world to know, aside from the fact that she wished they didn't all believe she was pregnant with Oliver's love child.

"I'll have to think about what to tell them," she mumbled.

"What about the truth?"

She glanced up at Bruce suspiciously, and then quickly looked away.

"That's not always the best of ideas, nor is it really any of their business."

"Unfortunately, if you've tied yourself to Oliver Queen, then the world will make it their business."

"Who said I've tied myself to Mr. Queen?" she asked brusquely.

"Well, there is obviously something going on, so one way or another, you're in hot water with him."

She just sighed and plopped down on the soft sofa.

"Alfred, would you care to bring us some drinks? I'll have a scotch. Miss Sullivan?"

"Just water… or coffee, if you have it."

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"What, I'm a caffeine addict and I admit it," she said without remorse.

He couldn't help but laugh. Chloe Sullivan was not afraid to speak her mind.

"I have a change of plans for you, Miss Sullivan. You're job is officially going to start Sunday evening rather than Monday morning," he spoke up quickly, changing the subject without warning.

She looked at him, a confused expression on her face.

"What exactly am I going to do?"

"You are going to be my date for the Gotham Children's Hospital fundraiser that I am hosting here at the Manor," he told her, taking his scotch from Alfred. He watched the older man hand a steaming cup of coffee to the shocked blond sitting in front of him.

"Wait a minute, I thought that sort of stuff was _not _part of my job description," she spoke acidly.

He chuckled at her accusation.

"Don't worry, it's only for show. I want you to pose as my date, and while I am busy entertaining the masses, you will fulfill your actual obligation."

"And what would that be?" she asked, distrust in her words.

"You are going to break into my bedroom and find a way into the safe that resides there," he told her, watching her distrust turn to confusion.

"What?"

"Your main job at Wayne Enterprises will be to insure that our security is the best. I want to know exactly what our weaknesses are and how to fix them. You will start with my personal security system. I want to know if you can break it. From what I've read, if you can't hack it, it isn't hackable."

Chloe's face slowly melted into a smile.

"That sounds like a challenge, Mr. Wayne."

"It is."

She couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly the near future didn't look so bleak. This could be just the thing she needed to get her mind off of everything that was happening, if only for a few hours. She still had a world to save, but for one night, she could focus on something mundane, something easy, or at least easier than the fate of all mankind.

"I don't have anything to wear," she told him, wondering if she had the money to spare on the kind of dress that a black tie fundraiser thrown by Bruce Wayne would require.

"Don't worry; we'll consider it part of your pay. My assistant, Margaret, can help you out tomorrow," he told her, waving it off as nothing.

"Well, what is my budget then?"

He laughed openly at that.

"Do you know who I am? Buy whatever you want, throw in some jewelry while you're at it," he said with a chuckle.

Chloe just shrugged. He might wish he hadn't told her that by the time she was through with her shopping.

"Now, it's getting late and a source of mine says the Penthouse is clear, so if you are planning on returning, Alfred can drop you off," he told her, glancing at the clock on the mantel. It was late and he was planning on patrolling tonight so he needed to either get her out, or get her into bed so he could make his escape.

"I'll head back, then. Thank you, again, Mr. Wayne," she told him, placing her empty cup back on the tray.

"I'll send Margaret over tomorrow morning. Good night, Miss Sullivan," he told her, nodding as he made his way back to his bedroom, keeping up the appearance of going to bed.

Chloe followed Alfred out to the town car that still held her suitcase. He opened the door for her once again and she realized she could get used to this treatment. Maybe coming to Gotham City wasn't as big of a mistake as she was beginning to think.

**A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I do read each one, over and over again, and I try to answer some of them, but I have a 3 year old, a 2 year old and a 1 year old, so my time is VERY limited, I do good just to write! But please, keep them coming! They help me through the rough times. Lol. I am sorry for the long delay, but we ended up moving unexpectedly and it's been a rough couple of months without internet, save for my phone and I couldn't stand writing on it anymore! So, here it is, another chapter with the next one almost ready. What do you think?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend**

Chloe groaned as the sunlight streamed in through the large windows that graced one side of the large penthouse she was currently residing in. It was way too early for her to wake up and she didn't know at first what had roused her from her slumber until she heard a light knocking on her door.

"Who the hell is that?" she muttered to herself, pulling on a robe and making her way over to the door. She glanced through the peephole but didn't recognize the tall brunette who stood outside the apartment. Sighing loudly, she opened the door.

"Yes?" she asked with a bite in her words.

"Miss Sullivan? Hi, my name is Margaret Kyle; I'm Mr. Wayne's assistant. He sent me over here to help you pick out a few things for Sunday evening," the smiling woman told her, unperturbed by her snark.

"Yes, he said something about that… what time is it?"

"It's seven in the morning. A little early, I know, but I thought we could get started before most of Gotham was up and about, maybe we could keep from running into the problems you had to deal with yesterday," Margaret said by way of explanation.

"That makes sense, just come in and give me a few minutes to get dressed, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Sullivan."

"And please, call me Chloe."

"Alright, Chloe. You can call me Maggie if you want, most people do," the cheery woman said while taking a seat at the kitchenette bar.

"Maggie it is, then."

Chloe grabbed a dark green loose fitting top and form fitting jeans from her suitcase and made for the bathroom, determined to shower and dress in record time.

In a mere thirty minutes, Chloe and Maggie were sitting in the back of Bruce Wayne's car with Alfred once again at the wheel.

"Doesn't Mr. Wayne ever give you time off?" Chloe asked with a laugh.

"Of course he does, but I don't take it. I enjoy my job Miss Sullivan, not too many people can say that," the old butler answered with a wink.

"Besides, if you'd seen Bruce Wayne drive, you'd be glad to have Alfred behind the wheel as often as possible," Maggie said with a roll of her eyes.

Chloe laughed out loud. She could just see Bruce wrecking ever car he got his hands on.

"Where to first, ladies?"

"Vandergraffts, please, Alfred," Maggie told the driver.

Chloe swallowed loudly before turning her gaze to her companion.

"Are you serious? One dress from there would cost more than an entire year's salary!"

"Well, it's a good thing you aren't paying then, isn't it? Mr. Wayne said to spare no expense and Vandergraffts is the best Gotham has to offer. If we had more time I would love to take you to Paris, but since we have to have the dress by tomorrow, we'll have to settle."

"If you say so," Chloe muttered, shocked by the lengths Maggie seemed ready to go just for a dress.

"Mr. Wayne specifically said you needed to, and I quote, 'Shine like the jewel she is,' so, we are going to make sure you make quite a statement tomorrow night."

Chloe felt a blush creep up her neck. A jewel? Really? Talk about a smooth talker, he was almost as bad as Oliver.

Oliver's face sprung up in her mind and her smile faltered. She still hadn't been able to reach him, though she had tried multiple times. His phone seemed to be off because every time she tried to call last night and this morning, it went straight to voicemail. They really needed to talk and she was starting to worry about him. It wasn't like him to be unreachable and unfortunately she didn't have her Watchtower to track him down with.

"Are you okay, Chloe? Don't let it bother you, he was just being Bruce Wayne," Maggie told her, misinterpreting the change in her expression.

"Oh, it's not that. I know a playboy when I see one, don't worry. This is just a job, I know," she told the other woman, forcing a smile back on her face.

"Are you pregnant?"

"What?" Chloe gasped, surprised at the question that sprung out of nowhere.

"I read that article, hell, the whole world has probably read that article and instead of walking around on eggshells, I thought I would just come out and ask that way we can either, one, pick a dress that will hide it, or two, pick a dress that will accentuate the fact that you _aren't_," she said matter-of-factly.

Chloe just opened and closed her mouth, shocked that a woman who barely knew her would ask something so personal, though her reasoning made sense. Before she could open her mouth to answer, Alfred called out to them.

"Here we go, ladies. Miss Margaret, just give me a call when you have finished up and I will come pick you up. Have a wonderful time, Miss Chloe."

"Let's go, we can figure it out once we get inside," Maggie said, dragging her out of the car. "Now, what color were you thinking of? I have to say, green looks absolutely fabulous on you!"

"Uh… no, not green," Chloe told her, thinking of Oliver once again and wishing she could stop.

"Well, Mr. Wayne likes black."

"Black? What kind of person likes black?" the blond woman asked, her mind flashing to Clark's newest persona.

Maggie laughed.

"How about white? With lots of diamonds to accent it?"

"I could do white, though I don't really want to look like a bride."

The other woman burst out laughing.

"I can see the tabloids now! 'Bruce Wayne Buys Mystery Woman Wedding Dress'. It would be priceless!"

Chloe couldn't help but join in with the laughing. Just what she needed, more rumors.

"Seriously, I think white with diamonds would rock," Maggie said with a nod, as if it had been decided.

She just sighed.

"Well, I guess I'm willing to try anything," she muttered while the brunette dragged her into the deserted store.

Two hours later, Chloe stood in front of a floor to ceiling three-way mirror, a long, white dress adorning her body. It was sleeveless and hugged her body in all the right places, while flowing gracefully in others. She was speechless. She wasn't sure she had ever felt so beautiful, unless it was at her wedding, and she tried hard not to remember that day.

"Is this the one?" Maggie asked quietly, a look of awe on her face.

"Yes, I think it is," Chloe answered, wishing for a moment that Lois was here with her to give her opinion.

"You look amazing," the other woman told her, her eyes traveling over the dress and pausing at her midsection. "Well, if you wear this, there won't be any question as to whether or not Mr. Queen knocked you up."

Chloe burst out laughing.

"Well, yeah, there is that. Okay, yes, this one. If you're sure Mr. Wayne won't kill me for the price."

"Oh, please, like he'll even miss the money, the guy's rolling in it. So, let's let them finish the adjustments and we can run across the street and pick out a few accessories."

"Okay."

Lois burst into her apartment at the Talon to find Clark rummaging around, looking for something.

"Hey! Smallville, what the hell?"

"Lois! I… I thought you were at work."

"Yeah, obviously I'm not, so that begs the question, 'what the hell?'."

"I was looking for… for a clue. Something that might give me an idea where Chloe might have gone," he admitted sheepishly.

"And you didn't think I would have already scoured the apartment? Anyway, Oliver already figured out where she is and guess what? We're going to go get her. Pack your bags, Smallville, we're heading to Gotham City."

"Gotham City? And why didn't Oliver call me and tell me he found her?"

"Probably because he has other things on his mind," Lois answered, tossing the paper to Clark.

He caught it easily enough and unfolded it to find a shocking surprise. His eyes widened as he read the article that followed.

"I'm going to kill him," he growled, heading towards the door.

"Not so fast there, mister. We are officially on assignment. We will be covering the Gotham Children's Hospital fundraiser that is to be held in the newly rebuilt Wayne Manor. It's supposed to be the party of the year, and we are going to be there. Once we've done our job, we'll be perfectly placed in Gotham to look for Chloe."

"How'd you manage that, Lois?"

"Uh, hello? I'm Lois Lane, that's how."

_Oliver unlocked his door and entered the quiet house. He was late getting in and he didn't want to wake Chloe if he could help it. Sleep was hard to come by these days and she needed all she could get._

"_Ollie? Is that you?" a tired voice called out._

"_Yeah, I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered as he made his way over to the couch where he hadn't noticed she was sitting._

"_You didn't, Connor just woke up to eat, so I was feeding him."_

_Oliver sat down next to her and gazed at the small bundle she held to her breast._

"_He's amazing, Chloe," he said with awe in his voice._

"_I know. He's perfect… because he's ours, Ollie," his wife told him as she leaned sideways to kiss him gently, trying not to disturb the hungry child, "and so are you, Mr. Queen…"_

"Mr. Queen… Mr. Queen, we've touched down in Gotham, sir," the pilot spoke a little louder as he gently shook Oliver's shoulder to wake him.

The sleeping man jumped, instantly awake, an ache deep in his chest.

"Thank you, sorry, I didn't mean to doze off."

"Not a problem, sir, we'll see you next Saturday for the return trip?"

"Yes, of course, thank you, Jennings," Oliver told the other man while running a hand over his face, trying to brush off the dream he had awoken from.

Once the pilot was out of sight, he grabbed the paper he had been looking at before he dozed off. He stared down at the picture of Chloe and him together in front of the Talon.

"Why, Chloe? Why would you leave?" he asked the paper, knowing he wouldn't get an answer. He had to find her, he had to know.

**A/N: Woohoo, I'm on a roll! This one was a little short, I know, but I wanted to end it there so I could focus on the party for the next chapter… I wasn't originally going to have Lois and Clark there, but I couldn't help it, they just had to come along! And yes, Maggie Kyle was on purpose, though for the sake of this story, she's not a nun and her name is not Magdalene, it's Margaret... because I like that better, and since I'm allowed to change mythos to fit my needs, right? Lol. I have had SOOOO much fun writing the fundraiser scene, so I can't wait to get that up, though I may split it into two chapters because there's just so much going on! Want a sneak peek? Okay…**

"_**Bruce, I was so close," Chloe whined, making her way out of the bedroom.**_

"_**Hmmm, yes, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," he said with a smirk, closing his bedroom door behind them. "Now, we should get back before we're missed."**_

"_**A little late for that," a voice called from the shadows across from the pair.**_

"_**Oliver!" Chloe exclaimed, stepping closer to Bruce when she caught sight of the look on the taller man's face. Pure rage radiated out from the man she used to know so well.**_

**Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Some Enchanted Evening**

**Part One**

Chloe stared at herself once more in the mirror. She could hardly believe that the woman looking back from the glass was her. Maggie had gone a little crazy at the jewelry store. Nothing that she was wearing was large or gaudy, but boy was it pricey. She really was afraid Bruce Wayne was going to kill her when he got the bill from yesterday's shopping spree.

Mr. Wayne had offered her a guest room to prepare for the evening and she had gladly accepted. She would rather skip the staring and speculation that would undoubtedly go along with her appearing on the streets of Gotham dressed as she was.

One last touch to her hair and she was ready. A tap on her door drew her attention away from her reflection.

"Chloe, it's me, can I come it?" Maggie's muffled voice came through the closed door.

"Sure, come on in," she replied, a little nervous for the brunette's reaction.

The door opened and Maggie, decked out in a dark emerald gown, squeezed in and quickly shut it, then froze.

"Sweet Jesus, Chloe, you… you look amazing. You're like every little girl's dream come true!"

"Oh, come on, now I know you're exaggerating."

"No, seriously, you look like you stepped out of a fairy tale!"

"Honestly, I kind of feel like that," Chloe admitted, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Don't tell me Oliver Queen never showered you with jewels, dresses, anything your little heart could dream up," Maggie said with a smirk.

Chloe turned to face the other woman, a serious look on her face.

"Maggie, look, I know what the papers are saying, but… Oliver and I, we weren't like that. He's a coworker, and a… a very good friend, but I never wanted to be showered with gifts, I never wanted him to dote on me…"

"Well, want or not, I don't think you have a choice with Mr. Wayne, he's not easily distracted."

"So I've noticed," Chloe responded, glad for the change in topic.

A gentle rapping on the door caught both girls' attention.

"Miss Sullivan, Margaret, the guests are arriving, are you ladies ready?" Bruce asked.

"Almost, Mr. Wayne," Maggie called out then turned back to face Chloe once more. "Just have a good time tonight, forget about everything else and enjoy yourself. I don't know what Mr. Wayne has planned, but it's okay to pretend for one night that the world doesn't rest on your shoulders," she told the blond woman, a knowing smile on her face.

"Thanks, Maggie, for everything."

"Hey, what are friends for? And I hope that's what we will become…"

"I do, too."

* * *

"Lois?" Oliver asked, recognizing the tall brunette walking into the hall, followed closely by Clark, looking like a lost little puppy.

"Ollie! Nice night for a party, wouldn't you say?" she greeted him with a large smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked without returning her smile.

"Well, you didn't think I really trusted you to bring my cousin home, did you?"

He looked over at Clark, exasperation evident in his demeanor. The younger man just shrugged and gave him a sheepish smile.

"Guys, please, just let me talk to Chloe first, okay?" he all but begged his two friends.

"We'll just see who finds her first, hmm? But for tonight, I think Smallville and I here have a job to do, so…" Lois trailed off as the smile slid from her face. She was staring up at the top of the stairs that led down into the large hall they were currently standing in. Oliver turned to see what had caught her attention and froze.

"Oh…"

"My…"

"God," Oliver finished for the other two. There at the top of the stairs, looking as if she owned the world, was the woman he had been searching high and low for. He swallowed hard.

It took him a moment to pry his eyes away from Chloe's face and notice just whose arm she was clutching. He scowled up at the pair. Didn't it just figure, the one man who could possibly give her more than he could.

He looked back at her face and saw her laugh at something Bruce Wayne had just whispered in her ear, her dazzling smile beaming out across the room as she swept her gaze across the assembled guests, all of which had suddenly grown very quiet. He felt Lois lean in close to him.

"Well, that answers one question," Lois whispered to him.

"Huh?" he asked, turning his confused gaze back to the woman behind him.

"Look, no baby bump," she said by way of explanation.

Oliver shot his eyes back up to Chloe just in time to meet her gaze. He watched her smile falter as she nearly stumbled on the stairs. Bruce wrapped one arm around her quickly to keep her from falling as the cameras went crazy.

"What can I say? I make women weak in the knees," Bruce said jokingly, causing the guests to chuckle softly.

"Just because she's not showing doesn't mean she's not pregnant," Clark spoke softly behind him. He knew there was only one way to know for sure and that was to get Chloe alone and… just ask.

* * *

Chloe took a deep breath and opened the door. Bruce was standing across the hall with his back to her. She cleared her throat and had to try really hard not to burst out laughing when the smile on his face slid away into a dumbfounded expression when he caught sight of her.

He cleared his throat twice before he attempted to speak.

"Well, at least my money was well spent," he told her. She assumed that in Wayne-ease that was a compliment.

"Thank you, the dress is… beautiful."

"I should be thanking you, for giving me something to look at all night," he told her, his trademark smile in place. "Now, for tonight, call me Bruce, understand? And, try to enjoy yourself. Once we make our entrance, we can start to mingle, then the script is all yours. We'll see how you do by the end of the night, but I warn you, I'll have my eyes on you, it will be hard to take them off of such a…"

"Oh, please, don't go there with me, Mr… I mean, Bruce."

"There, that wasn't so hard was it? May I call you Chloe?"

"Well, I suppose if I am going to call you Bruce it would be a little weird to have you calling me 'Miss Sullivan'."

"That's true. So, Chloe… remember, they will believe what ever you want them to believe. If you go in there like you own the place, with nothing to hide, they'll believe that," he told her while offering his arm.

She nodded and took a deep breath before placing her hand gently in the crook of his arm. Together they made their way to the top of the large staircase that led down to the open hall where the guests were mingling. Chloe glanced around the hall and had to smile as several guests stopped what they were doing to stare at the couple standing at the ready, about to descend into the ranks of high society. Bruce leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Remember, you're the Queen," he told her, a laugh gracing his words. She couldn't help but scoff and smile at his play on words.

She allowed her gaze to roam once more across the now silent room as she and Bruce began their descent and froze when her eyes met with a pair of brown eyes she hadn't expected to see here. Unfortunately, Bruce did not stop when she did and the tug on her arm caused her foot to slip. If it wasn't for his quick reflexes and the arm he threw around her, she would have graced the front page of tomorrow's Gazette, and not in a flattering way.

She didn't hear what he said, but it caused the room to laugh. Her eyes never left Oliver's until he glanced away. Now she knew she was in trouble.

Bruce led her across the hall, greeting a few people and introducing her as Wayne Enterprises' newest Technical Consultant and "an old friend of his". They led the way into the large dinning room and she sat down quietly next to the billionaire host as he took his place at the head of the large table. The seat to her immediate left was quickly taken by a smiling Maggie.

"Great entrance, Chloe," she whispered, a smirk on her face.

"Shut up," Chloe whispered back, her face paling as the seat across from her was taken by someone else she hadn't expected to see tonight.

Lois plopped down in the closest seat she could grab to her cousin, roughly jerking Clark down next to her.

"Chloe, what a surprise! I had no idea you would be here tonight," the reporter gushed, a little too much happiness forced into her words.

"Lois, I was going to call you," Chloe started.

"Oh really, and when was that?" Lois asked, her fake smile still firmly in place.

Chloe looked around, praying for a save, and found the seat next to Clark had been taken, by Oliver.

"Yes, when, Chloe?" he asked, anger evident in his words.

"Can we talk about this later, please?" she pleaded, knowing she needed time to compose herself or she was going to fall apart before she could explain anything to her friends.

Oliver opened his mouth to say something, but was forced to stop when Bruce started speaking.

"Thank you all for coming this evening. The Gotham Children's Hospital was my father's pride and joy and I am very pleased to host this years Annual Fundraiser in his honor. The silent auction will continue throughout the evening with the winners to be announced at midnight. Dinner is about to commence and then we will open the ballroom for some real fun," he told the assembled crowd. "And remember, the bar is open with all proceeds going to the Children's Hospital. Enjoy!"

Bruce took his seat and smiled at Chloe's friends.

"Oliver Queen, it's been awhile," he greeted jovially.

"Bruce, it has been awhile, but not long enough I'm thinking," Oliver responded without a smile.

"Oh, come now, you're not still sore that I stole your date for our senior spring formal, are you?" Bruce asked the scowling blond.

"No, of course not, Bruce. Can't blame you for a personal flaw like that now can I?" Oliver asked. "Guess it's something you still haven't fixed. Stealing my employees now, Bruce?"

The other man raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't steal anything, Queen, she came to me willingly, but then again, can you blame her?"

"Hey!" Chloe bit out. "Bruce, really," she hissed at him.

"Sorry, couldn't help it, some habits are hard to break," he apologized to her then turned to Oliver. "Honestly, Oliver, I didn't offer her the job, she came and applied."

The two men stared at each other while Chloe tried to think of something to say to break the tense challenge. She glanced at Clark and was caught off guard at the look he was giving her. His face was a mixture of hurt and betrayal, with a hint of anger in his eyes.

"Well, as nice as this has been, people are starting to stare, so, let's talk about something else, shall we… Chloe, I love that dress! I don't recognize it though," Lois spoke up, quickly changing the subject and forcing Chloe's eyes away from Clark's.

"It's new, just bought it yesterday," she told her cousin, glad to have something to talk about other than her current employment situation.

"What label is it? It looks like it cost a fortune."

"It a Vandergrafft," Maggie answered for Chloe.

Lois's eyes went wide.

"How the hell did you afford that?" she asked a little too loudly.

Chloe blushed as her eyes slid over to Bruce.

"Oh… gotcha," Lois said, fumbling around for another subject.

"You know, I think I'm going to run to the ladies room," Chloe said hastily, desperately needing to get away. The tension between her friends and Bruce was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"I'll go with you," Lois spoke up.

"No! I mean, finish your dinner, we'll have plenty of time to catch up later, really, I'll be right back," she stammered, nearly tripping over herself in her haste to leave the table.

Bruce's eyes followed her knowingly before settling on Maggie.

"Margaret, do you have the…?" he asked quietly.

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, just let me know when," she answered, her gaze following Chloe out the door, worry creasing her brow.

"Well, please, enjoy your dinner," Bruce spoke up to include the entire table.

Chloe slouched against the wall once she made it up the stairs and away from the dining guests. This was going to be harder than she thought. In her mind, she had imagined simply telling them she needed some time and would keep in touch, and then they would smile, say they understood and walk away with the promise of a phone call and an e-mail. She hadn't imagined the hurt and anger she found in each set of eyes. Had she misjudged them all? Did they really care more about her than she had thought? Did they really want her back?

It was too much for her right now. She couldn't go back there and try to eat with the hostile stares and the tension that radiated from her friends. Now would be the perfect time to get started on her official assignment, while Bruce was busy with dinner and his guests. She pushed off the wall and started heading down the long hall.

She had no idea where Bruce Wayne's bedroom was but had a feeling she would know it when she found it so she started with the first door and went from there.

**A/N: Well, here's part one, I wanted to try and keep the chapters roughly between 2.5-3k words, it makes it easier on my poor beta, so I ended it here, but part two is almost done, so keep your eyes open! Hope you liked it so far, though I think the real fun part is about to come... along with a confrontation that everyone seems very interested in! Please, review and let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: For Katy, you are my faith…**

**Some Enchanted Evening**

**Part Two**

Chloe quietly made her way down the long hall, searching each room she came to but had failed to locate a room that she would call Bruce Wayne's. She had started to wonder if he had stringing her along. Maybe the safe wasn't actually in his room. Who would want a stranger searching through their most private domain?

These thoughts circled around in her head until she came to the end of the hall. Large, wooden french doors were situated against the end wall. She quietly eased one side open and instantly knew that this _had_ to be Bruce's room. A large bed stood at one end, covered in luxurious looking midnight blue sheets. Several dark, antique-looking wooden pieces adorned the room and a large portrait hung in the far right corner. Chloe gazed at the happy couple staring out at the room from the painted canvas. She recognized them from her research, they were Bruce's parents. Her throat tightened at the look of love that radiated out from their eyes.

Remembering her mission, she tore her gaze away and glanced once more around the room before returning to the portrait. Surely it wasn't that obvious, was it? She made her way across the large room and began to examine the large canvas. Finding a small lever on the left side, she pushed it and jumped back as the picture swung forward.

"Really, Bruce, how quaint," she muttered, shaking her head at the predictability of it all. Behind the picture, she found a large safe with a rather complicated looking electrical face and input screen. "Okay, Mr. Wayne, let's see what you're made of," she said, pulling out her phone and scanning the safe. She knew that without her laptop, she would be at a slight disadvantage, but was hoping to crack into the lone laptop she had seen sitting on a desk on the other side of the room if need be.

Once her phone had finished its initial scan, she went over to the laptop. Opening it up, she began her work.

After several attempts, she finally was able to connect her phone, bypass his firewalls and download its contents. Scanning through the input, she started to hack away at his coding, determined to find the codes she would need to access the contents of his safe.

"Ha ha! Found you," she muttered to the computer, transferring the codes to her phone and disconnecting their link. She walked back over to the safe. She raised her hand to input the code when a voice startled her.

"Now, now Miss Sullivan, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Bruce spoke up, coming up to stand behind her.

"And why not?" she asked, easing a hand into her purse and pulling out the empty gun she had brought along, just in case. She did not like to lose.

"Because I don't think I really want you to see what I have in there."

"Then why ask me to break in?"

"Because I knew you couldn't. I caught you, didn't? Nice try, maybe next time," he told her with a smirk.

Chloe turned around to face him, gun in hand. She laughed as the smirk melted off his face.

"Mr. Wayne, if you would be so kind? I'm afraid my hands are full," she told him, her turn to smirk.

"What the hell?"

Chloe slowly turned, forcing him to turn with her until he stood between her and the safe.

"The codes, Bruce, before my hair turns gray, please," she told him, feeling rather pleased with herself at the look of loathing he gave her before turning to face the safe.

"Chloe, are you pregnant?" he asked out of nowhere.

Chloe froze at the suddenness of the question.

"You ask that now?"

"Are you?"

"No, why?" she asked, the grip on her gun loosening while she became distracted.

"Good," muttered and spun, kicking the gun out of her hands and using her surprise to his advantage.

Chloe gasped and threw herself into him as he rushed past her, aiming for the gun. The two grappled with each other, both holding back so as not to really harm the other. She finally evaded his hands long enough to escape and rush towards the gun that lay across the room. She made it a mere two steps before strong arms encircled her waist.

Bruce picked her up as if she were weightless and threw her onto his bed. Unfortunately he wasn't quick enough to get away as he felt her small hands grip the collar of his dress shirt, pulling him down with her. He landed hard on top of her, pressing her small body into the soft mattress below.

"Are you insane!" he demanded, pinning her to the bed.

"It's not loaded," she gasped, trying in vain to push him off of her. "And where the hell did you learn to fight like that?"

"I should be asking you the same thing!"

"A lady should always know how to defend herself. You attacked me!"

"You were holding me at gunpoint!"

"What if I had lied? What if I _am_ pregnant?" she demanded, trying once again to push him off. She noticed the angry look shift into one of uncertainty at her words. He raised himself slightly, taking most of his weight off of her.

"Did you? Are you pregnant?" he asked, for once wondering if he had perhaps made the wrong decision.

"No, Bruce, but it would serve you right if I were!" she growled, still struggling.

"Would you stop? You're going to hurt yourself."

"Then get off me!" she growled.

Once she had stopped moving, he rolled slightly off of her so he wouldn't hurt her with his weight.

"That was cheating," he spoke, only mildly annoyed.

"You never said how I was supposed to get into the safe, just that I was," she replied cheekily.

"I thought it was implied you were supposed to break through my security system."

"Well, you caught me before I could, so I had to go with plan B."

Bruce opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by the bedroom door banging open.

Chloe gasped and looked over at her enraged cousin who stood in the door with a large, expensive vase in her right hand and a shocked look on her face.

"What the hell?" Lois asked completely confused.

"Lois! What in the world are you doing?" Chloe demanded, sitting up and adjusting her dress to cover her legs again.

"I could ask you the same thing! I followed you up here because I was worried that you hadn't come back to the party, then I heard your voice and scuffling, it sounded like a fight! I burst in here to help you and find you in bed with Bruce Wayne? Again, I ask, what the hell?"

"Lois, it's nothing, I'm fine… we… were just… ummm…"

"Having a discussion," Bruce supplied, lounging back against the large pillows, looking completely at ease with the situation. Chloe glared at him.

"Chloe, we are going to have a long talk when you get downstairs," Lois told her, glaring at the cocky billionaire before spinning on her heals and disappearing.

Chloe just groaned and collapsed back against the mattress.

"We really had better get back to the party before the reporters or the rest of your entourage make their way up here looking for us," Bruce told her, pushing himself up from the bed and going over to a large mirror to fix his clothes and straighten his tie.

"What the hell am I supposed to tell her?"

Bruce just shrugged.

"Make something up, I'm sure you've had practice," he told her, a gleam in his eyes. He bent over and picked up her gun. "Not, cool, Miss Sullivan."

Chloe walked over to stand by him and took the gun, placing it carefully back into her purse. She ignored his presence while she redid her hair and straightened her dress, noticing that it only looked slightly rumpled. Oh well, couldn't help that now.

The duo made their way across the room to the large double doors.

"You know, I really loved the look on your face when you wondered if I had lied to you about being pregnant," she told him, a cocky smile on her face.

"I'm sure you did, I, however, thought that was rather low. I don't make it a habit to throw pregnant women across the room and onto my bed," he told her, annoyance in his words.

"Oh, come now, Bruce," she said, opening the door and stepping out into the hallway, "you can't tell me you've never seduced a pregnant woman."

He just glared at her. She laughed at his expression.

"Bruce, I was so close," Chloe whined as he stepped out of the bedroom.

"Hmmm, yes, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," he said with a smirk, closing his bedroom door behind them. "Now, we should get back before we're missed."

"A little late for that," a voice called from the shadows across from the pair.

"Oliver!" Chloe exclaimed, stepping closer to Bruce when she caught sight of the look on the taller man's face. Pure rage radiated out from the man she used to know so well.

"Oliver! What can we do for you?" Bruce asked congenially.

The blond man turned his gaze to Chloe.

"You were gone for awhile, I was worried we had upset you and I wanted to apologize," he told her, trying to ignore the other man standing beside her.

Chloe had had enough.

"Seriously, people, I AM FINE," she practically growled. "I am a big girl and if I want to disappear for a few minutes, it's my business! Come on, Bruce, our guests are waiting," she growled, grabbing the other man's arm and practically dragging him past a stunned Oliver Queen.

Bruce just chuckled at the fiery tempered woman who was currently cutting off the circulation to his arm.

* * *

Once the duo had made it back down to the large hall, Chloe's breathing had finally returned to normal, though she was sure her blood pressure was still elevated. Who did they think they were? Seriously?

Bruce excused himself and made his way over to a few business associates he knew he needed to play nice with, leaving Chloe alone by the edge of the now crowded dance floor.

She started to glance around the hall when her vision was suddenly obscured by a large, black chest. Her eyes traveled up the hard planes to land on a familiar face. She narrowed her eyes are readied herself for another argument, her words perfectly planned, but Clark's question stopped her in her tracks.

"Would you like to dance? I think I owe you one from all those years ago," he asked quietly.

Chloe's jaw dropped in shock. She stared into his eyes, searching for anger, bitterness, all the things she had found earlier, but all she saw was sadness and… understanding. She just nodded and allowed her friend to pull her out onto the dance floor.

"I… I'm sorry, Chloe," he started.

"What, not going to accuse me of all sorts of things? Falling off the bandwagon, Clark?" she snipped at him.

"I heard everything. The fight caught my attention, then your argument with Lois, then Oliver," he admitted, shrugging sheepishly as he held her close. "I can understand needing to get away, I really can, it's the accepting part that's hard," he told her.

The first notes of a new song started playing and Clark's eyes softened.

"I heard this song on the plane ride out here. It made me think of you," he told her, holding her closer.

_Remember all the times that we used to play?  
You were lost and I would save you  
I don't think those feelings will ever fade  
You were born a part of me  
I was never good at hiding anything  
My thoughts break me  
Do you understand what you mean to me?  
You are my faith_

"Chloe, there are so many things I need to say, I don't even know where to start. I think it took you leaving to make me see what an ass I've been," he told her, whispering quietly into her ear.

_Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
Don't take her smile away from me  
She's broken and I'm far away  
Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
if you make the world a stage for me  
then I hope that you can hear me scream  
Won't you cure my tragedy?_

Chloe glanced up at him, tears building in her eyes. He kept talking, not noticing the look she was giving him.

"I know my destiny, Chloe, and I can't even begin to imagine it without you. I know you need time. Something is going on, I can see that, but please, don't lock me out. You… You are the better part of me. You're the voice inside my head, the one that's always telling me right from wrong. There is no Clark Kent without Chloe Sullivan."

_When I sit and think of the days we shared  
and the nights you covered for me  
Every little thing that I ever did  
You would stand by me  
Every time you cried it would take my wind  
My heart would break  
If I could be strong like you were for me  
You are my faith _

"You're my best friend. There was a time when I thought we might could be more, but now I know why it didn't work… we were both destined for someone different, but that doesn't mean I don't still desperately need you in my life. Take the time you need, Chloe, and know that I am here, only a call away. I am so sorry," he told her.

Chloe didn't realize they had stopped moving and were just standing in the middle of the dance floor, couples slowly swaying on every side. She stared into his eyes, a peaceful understanding radiated out from them. Words she thought she would never hear from him were spilling from his mouth. She felt a tear slide down her cheek.

_Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
Don't take her smile away from me  
She's broken and I'm far away  
Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
if you make the world a stage for me  
then I hope that you can hear me scream  
Won't you cure my tragedy?_

_Can you hear me scream? __[x2]__  
_  
_Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
Don't take her smile away from me  
She's broken and I'm far away  
Won't you cure my tragedy? __[x2]__  
if you make the world a stage for me  
then I hope that you can hear me scream  
Won't you cure my tragedy? _

Clark wiped the tear away and hugged her close.

"What ever it is, it's okay. You aren't alone. I'm here for you, the entire team is here for you," he told her.

_I can't take this anymore  
I can't feel this anymore  
Won't you take and give her pain to me  
'Cause my whole life I've made mistakes  
Can you hear me scream? __[x2]_

"Clark," she spoke softly into his chest. "If you ever act that way again I may have to shove a piece of kryptonite down your throat and drop kick your ass all the way back to your home planet."

Clark just chuckled. Chloe knew it would take more that a few sweet words to earn her trust again, but as she felt a slight weight lift off of her shoulders, she knew they were on the right track.

**A/N: I'm sorry about the slight delay, but life hit and hit hard. My faithful and loyal beta will not be able to continue with this story… for years now Katy has battled with cancer and now we've come to the end. It has spread and after a long night with some really hard choices, she and her family have decided to quit the chemo. She's going to go home and spend however many days, weeks, months she has left with the people she loves. I think it is at the end of life that we really see who we are. She has been my dearest friend for many years and I love her so much. She is my faith… I pray that I could have such reserved strength when I come to the end…**

**As we were sitting together Saturday, she was laughing and apologizing for not being able to beta any of my stories any more. Like I care about that when I'm losing my best friend! Then she jokingly told me one of the things she was the sadest about was the fact that she wouldn't see Clark finally become Superman. She has always loved the Chlark friendship and she told me she was so sad that she would never see them fix it. Now, I know that she was just trying to deal in her own way and make a hard situation a little easier with comedy, but it struck something in me and I had to add the clark/chloe part in here. If it feels out of place, sorry, but it's for Katy. I let her read this chapter first, so I waited until she had had a chance before posting. I'm sorry that this turned into a freaking journal entry, but I am slightly overwhelmed and writing helps so much and … lol… sorry, but I wanted people to understand why that part is there. That song has always been a favorite for her and I thought it fit. It's by Cold and called Cure My Tragedy. Again, thanks for reading and reviewing… I don't know when the next chapter will be up, I'm looking for a new beta and trying to spend time with Katy… **

**~Peace **


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